Roger Severino, director of the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights, was the guest speaker at an informative briefing presented by Chayim Aruchim, a project of Agudath Israel of America, championing every individual’s right to exercise their religious freedom even when faced with life-threatening illness. READ MORE...

On Tuesday, January 15th, Justice of Supreme Court, Hon. Devin P. Cohen ruled that the declaration of death and the death certificate issued for Yechezkal Nakar on May 31, 2017 must be rescinded and replaced by one with the date of his actual death recorded as June 22, 2017. In this landmark decision, Justice Cohen expressed that Mr Nakar’s religious rights had been violated when the hospital performed brain death testing against the family’s religious objection. The judgement further states that “a reasonable accommodation can only occur by working with the patient (or proxy holder). READ MORE...

Northwell CEO Meets with Five Towns, Far Rockaway Community Leaders

It was an impressive turnout as rabbonim and community leaders from the Five Towns and Far Rockaway gathered in Lawrence for an introductory meeting with Michael J. Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health which currently operates 18 hospitals in New York City, Long Island and Westchester. READ MORE...

Pictured: Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, vice president for community services, Rabbi Gedaliah Weinberger, Chairman of the Board of Chayim Aruchim, Assemblyman Richard Gottfried and Rivie Schwebel, a member of Chayim Aruchimís Board of Directors.

Meeting with New York State Assemblyman Richard Gottfried

On Monday December 21st Chayim Aruchim representatives met with New York State Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, Chairman of the Assembly Health Committee. Among those in attendance were Rabbi Gedaliah Weinberger, Chairman of the Board of Chayim Aruchim, Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, Vice President of Community Services for Agudath Israel of America, Rabbi Berish Fried, Chayim Aruchim’s New York State project director and Rivie Schwebel, a member of Chayim Aruchim’s Board of Directors. READ MORE...

Connecting the Dots in Medical Mystery Saves Womanís Life

The call came in to Chayim Aruchim's hotline from a distraught son.

His 89 year old mother had been diagnosed with cancer. She was sent to a world class hospital in New York City, where a prominent surgeon felt that the proper course of treatment would be to remove both the tumor and her stomach. Unfortunately, serious complications arose as the physician was not able to successfully connect the esophagus and the small intestines, resulting in internal leakage. READ MORE...

Having spent the last several years advocating for the rights of critically ill patients in hospitals and other medical facilities all over the world, Chayim Aruchim, Agudath Israel of Americas Center for Culturally Sensitive Health Advocacy and Counseling, took to Albany to speak personally with key elected officials about the importance of defeating proposed legislation that would legalize physician assisted suicide in New York State. READ MORE...